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Laryngitis
Laryngitis is when your voice box or vocal cords in the throat become irritated or swollen. It usually goes away by itself within 1 to 2 weeks.
Check if you have laryngitis
Laryngitis usually comes on suddenly and gets worse during the first 3 days.
The main symptoms are:
a hoarse (croaky) voice
sometimes losing your voice
an irritating cough that does not go away
always needing to clear your throat
a sore throat
Children can also:
have a temperature of 38C or above
be off their food or drink
have difficulty breathing (but this is rare)
Laryngitis is often linked to other illnesses, such as colds and flu, so you may also have other symptoms.
If you're not sure it's laryngitis, check other sore throat symptoms.
How you can treat laryngitis yourself
Laryngitis usually goes away on its own after 1 to 2 weeks and you do not need to see a GP.
Do
try to speak as little as possible
drink plenty of fluids
keep the air moist by putting out bowls of water – central heating and air conditioning make the air dry
gargle with warm salty water (children should not try this)
Don’t
do not talk loudly or whisper – both strain your voice
do not smoke
do not spend time in smoky or dusty places
do not drink too much caffeine or alcohol – they cause dehydration
How to gargle with salty water
A pharmacist can help with laryngitis
Speak to a pharmacist about your sore throat.
They can give advice and suggest treatments, including:
paracetamol or ibuprofen
cough syrup to help with your cough
solutions to gargle or lozenges for the pain
Find a pharmacy
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks
it's very painful or it's difficult to swallow
you keep getting laryngitis or voice problems
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
What happens at your appointment
The GP will try to work out what has caused your laryngitis.
They may:
look inside your throat using a small mirror
wipe a cotton bud around the back of your throat for testing
arrange a blood test
refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist (if you keep getting laryngitis)
If your laryngitis is caused by an infection, the GP might prescribe antibiotics.
Immediate action required:
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
you or your child are having difficulty breathing
Find your nearest A&E
What causes laryngitis
Laryngitis usually happens when you have an infection from a virus, such as cold or flu. A flu vaccination will help prevent you getting flu.
Other things that cause laryngitis include:
allergies to things like dust and fumes
acid from your stomach coming up your throat (acid reflux)
coughing over a long time
clearing your throat all the time
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Page last reviewed: 29 December 2020
Next review due: 29 December 2023
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